Flying Drones are becoming a life threatening problem here in California.

[Gaolee]

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Now there's armed drones in Connecticut. Built by a teenager. I think it is very, very funny, but I wouldn't want to be running away from an armed drone.

[edit] Ah, I'm late to the party. The video is already here.

 

[Stewie26]

Its all well and good until YOU ARM THEM!!!

You would think that law enforcement and anti-terrorist agencies would be very concerned over such a device. I guess it was just a matter of time before one of these came to be. I can not see how a remote controlled flying firearm could be legal. If so, it goes to show how far law makers are lagging behind technology.

 

[tastybasslines]

Its all well and good until YOU ARM THEM!!!

Check out this dude. EDIT: and this was like 3 years ago. Imagine what you could do now.

Prototype Quadrotor with Machine Gun!:

 

[metron]

Now there is some industrial strength idiocy. How does one ensure that muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction?

 

[bluesblaster]

aye carumba !!!! don't want to see this following me around

 

[socialleper]

Now there is some industrial strength idiocy. How does one ensure that muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction?

Or what happens if one of the rotors suddenly goes out?
Beyond the "accidents" that could happen, you've got a straight up assassin-bot right there. I didn't think the physics of this would ever work out, but I guess I was wrong. We need some laws on this ASAP, but if the legislation around anything involving the internet is an indicator, we should get around to it in 2050.

 

[tastybasslines]

Or what happens if one of the rotors suddenly goes out?
Beyond the "accidents" that could happen, you've got a straight up assassin-bot right there. I didn't think the physics of this would ever work out, but I guess I was wrong. We need some laws on this ASAP, but if the legislation around anything involving the internet is an indicator, we should get around to it in 2050.

I think that drone's gun is using a larger caliber than necessary. Imagine a smaller caliber machine gun on a more powerful, agile drone. There would not be enough recoil to cause the drone problems and they could fly with more ammunition.

 

[socialleper]

I think that drone's gun is using a larger caliber than necessary. Imagine a smaller caliber machine gun on a more powerful, agile drone. There would not be enough recoil to cause the drone problems and they could fly with more ammunition.

That thing could make more than enough trouble with a little .22 or 9mm. Think about all the jealous boyfriend/girlfriends, troublemakers, bullies, and emotionally unstable morons out there let alone someone bent on real terrorism. Someone really needs to get on top of this now.

 

[Stewie26]

We need some laws on this ASAP, but if the legislation around anything involving the internet is an indicator, we should get around to it in 2050.

Yep...traditionally, law makers are reactive, not proactive. Only after a drone brings down an airliner or some crazy shoots up a crowded sports stadium will they act. Just sayin

 

[David Jayne]

That thing could make more than enough trouble with a little .22 or 9mm. Think about all the jealous boyfriend/girlfriends, troublemakers, bullies, and emotionally unstable morons out there let alone someone bent on real terrorism. Someone really needs to get on top of this now.

Again, the only real solution is to ban them from anyone who can't show a real need (media/business/govt). Unless that happens, anyone can buy one and fit weapons. Some of those who do will have bad things in mind. But I predict a ban will never happen.

 

[tastybasslines]

That thing could make more than enough trouble with a little .22 or 9mm. Think about all the jealous boyfriend/girlfriends, troublemakers, bullies, and emotionally unstable morons out there let alone someone bent on real terrorism. Someone really needs to get on top of this now.

Well, if somone was hell bent on terrorisim, they could fashion some sort of flying device with a gun without drones. This just makes it easier.

 

[David Jayne]

Easily available drones make it much, much easier. Ban them.

 

[socialleper]

Again, the only real solution is to ban them from anyone who can't show a real need (media/business/govt). Unless that happens, anyone can buy one and fit weapons. Some of those who do will have bad things in mind. But I predict a ban will never happen.

I know banning them altogether won't happen, but there has to be some way to make a law regarding this. Even if it has no teeth, shouldn't there be a law stating that a civilian can't build a flying terminator? I mean you can buy the components that make up explosives or meth, but that doesn't mean you don't go after the people that take those ingredients and do something bad with them right?

 

[socialleper]

Yep...traditionally, law makers are reactive, not proactive. Only after a drone brings down an airliner or some crazy shoots up a crowded sports stadium will they act. Just sayin

I can't disagree with you there.

 

[fhm555]

And exactly how would a drone start a fire? They're just plastic, a battery, four or more electric motors and sometimes a camera. I'd be more concerned with some runner dropping a cigarette butt than a drone starting a fire.

If they run on li poly cells, it's not a matter of if it will catch fire as much as it's a matter of when will it catch fire if the cells are abused. We ran li po airplane packs in cars before hard cases became required and never really had any probs, but if you over draw one? It's gonna burn, if you over amp or time charge one? It's gonna burn. If your pack is puffy, it's getting something it doesn't like. Too many variables to go into here, but in answer to your question, used correctly they are not much of a problem but put the wrong kind of strain on them and they'll catch fire. You build a lot of heat if you fly one hard and if you do it from start to finish you risk either fire or a crash when the battery is depleted. Banging they can take, basically any landing the copter can live through the cells will be fine, but they have a strict charge and discharge protocol that will bite you if you ignore it.

 

[David Jayne]

I know banning them altogether won't happen, but there has to be some way to make a law regarding this. Even if it has no teeth, shouldn't there be a law stating that a civilian can't build a flying terminator?

Sure, and there probably will be. There should be. But that won't stop those who would do harm.

 

[David Jayne]

Prototype Quadrotor with Machine Gun!:

Fortunately an awful lot of that was editing BS. Maybe all of it. Particularly the last scene where he shoots the rear window out of the car and flies inside and boom. Obviously fake.

 

[fhm555]

Oh and BTW, selected guard units in several states either have authorization to fly drones within their borders, or soon will have it. Rationale is it's their duty to keep their CO (the guv) informed so they get to fly very cool R/C airplanes over us and pretty much do whatever the heck they want with whatever info they can harvest.

When I was a kid, everyone wanted to listen to the radio. These days, the radio listens to all of us.

This is no joke fellers, if I was in my twenties and not already in the drone business I'd be figuring out a way into the drone business. If they follow the current military model for aviation, all their training, field and depot maintenance, basically everything but sitting the seat, will be subbed out to civilian contractors. LE wants this bad and our Uncle wants them to have it, but they are still busy dividing up the real estate so it's gonna be a little while longer, but the minute that log jam breaks, it's gonna be on like donkey Kong. This is a good example of "strike while the iron is hot". The game is already on, but it's still pretty wide open for those who get up early so they won't miss an opportunity.

 

[6jase5]

And exactly how would a drone start a fire? They're just plastic, a battery, four or more electric motors and sometimes a camera. I'd be more concerned with some runner dropping a cigarette butt than a drone starting a fire.

Simple, he burned up 2 of them while trying to have them carry some weird advertisement banner (independently). I saw them in the parking lot after the test flights, melted engine housings, where I asked him to try using a football field after hours instead. It takes very little to spark a fire in dry brush during santa ana conditions.

 

[Stewie26]

Oh and BTW, selected guard units in several states either have authorization to fly drones within their borders, or soon will have it. Rationale is it's their duty to keep their CO (the guv) informed so they get to fly very cool R/C airplanes over us and pretty much do whatever the heck they want with whatever info they can harvest.

When I was a kid, everyone wanted to listen to the radio. These days, the radio listens to all of us.

This is no joke fellers, if I was in my twenties and not already in the drone business I'd be figuring out a way into the drone business. If they follow the current military model for aviation, all their training, field and depot maintenance, basically everything but sitting the seat, will be subbed out to civilian contractors. LE wants this bad and our Uncle wants them to have it, but they are still busy dividing up the real estate so it's gonna be a little while longer, but the minute that log jam breaks, it's gonna be on like donkey Kong. This is a good example of "strike while the iron is hot". The game is already on, but it's still pretty wide open for those who get up early so they won't miss an opportunity.

I agree that the drone industry is in it's infancy and will become more in our every day lives in the very near future. Just like in the early aviation days, the William Boeing's and Jack Northrop's of the drone business will arise.
What scares me is that this could allow a 1984 scenario, where the authorities will be keeping more than a watchful eye on the population via drones. When you look at the big picture, bozo citizens flying drones over fires and into crowded airspace is minor in comparison. Once the government gets the ball rolling with drones they won't know where to stop with it. I guess you can say I don't trust politicians making good decisions with the technology.. Just sayin

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